Protesters call for Bournemouth IMAX to be demolished (From Thisisdorset)

I assume these 1000 or so people are happy to stump up the necessary cash to pay for the demolition themselves? Or should we expect it to come out of our already extortionate and overstretched council tax?

Perhaps all the car parking charges could go up? Those of us who live in the town centre could have our parking permit costs doubled – we don’t mind! Perhaps the council would be good enough to only collect our bins fortnightly, or never grit the roads in the bad weather? Perhaps they could limit home care visits to just once or twice a week, or shut down a couple of libraries?

Hey, who cares? As long as they demolish the Imax, it'll all be worth it - just think of that 2 second uninterrupted view of the sea, should you actually find yourself in town and driving in the right direction along Bath Road, that is…

Ironic that the demolition group is having its meeting in the Portman given that bits of the pub fell off during the recent Ashley Road bridge works.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but to hold a 'protest' - doesn't there need to be something to protest against?

The Imax Demolition Party will meet on Sunday February 28 at 7.30pm at the Portman Hotel, 97 Ashley Road, Boscombe.



Please bring a toffee hammer and some bin liners.

Lee Hughes and Schmeichel,
Get these two demolition experts inside the monstrosity , plus a bit of overtime say 2or3 days that's it job done.It will be gone before this weekend.

security word
view-nice

PARTY !!!

Sad people having a meeting,bless!

Leave the building standing and turn it into a MEGA-AQUARIUM like the ones in France .. bet the Bournemouth Aquarium would jump at the chance to have a bigger venue ...and it would be more in keeping with its situation and an all year attraction.

What a bunch of luddites!!!! How about being pro active instead.

As to those who complain about the view - are you so blinkered that you cannot see that there are many miles of roads and footpaths either side of this building to see the view, and if you are coming down past the Royal bath hotel in a car, then your eyes should be on the ROAD not the view.

If this purchase of the Imax by the incompetent Council, did not mean serious cuts in services, and higher council tax for the people of Bournemouth such as my elderly Father, it would be laughable.
Why should Bournemouth residents have to pay for this idiotic idea because a load of drones witter on about a "view" that never existed?
The Councils prime duty now, is to ensure the building opens for it's intended purpose at full occupancy.
It should then be sold at a profit back into the commercial sector, the money being used for things that are needed.
The only people who will benefit from a demolition will be the property developers who buy the site from the Council and build something else there. Am I being cynical or is this already a done deal with manila envelopes already having changed hands at the "lodge".
Lets get the place open and working as it was intended. now there are actually blockbuster Imax movies being produced a handful of short sighted idiots want to demolish it.
Unbelievable!

MisterE wrote:
I assume these 1000 or so people are happy to stump up the necessary cash to pay for the demolition themselves? Or should we expect it to come out of our already extortionate and overstretched council tax?

Perhaps all the car parking charges could go up? Those of us who live in the town centre could have our parking permit costs doubled – we don’t mind! Perhaps the council would be good enough to only collect our bins fortnightly, or never grit the roads in the bad weather? Perhaps they could limit home care visits to just once or twice a week, or shut down a couple of libraries?

Hey, who cares? As long as they demolish the Imax, it'll all be worth it - just think of that 2 second uninterrupted view of the sea, should you actually find yourself in town and driving in the right direction along Bath Road, that is…

It is annoying that we the public had to buy back this giant shed, but single people have paid millions to own one house with a view only for themselves, we as a town have split the cost to get our view back. When you drive down Bath Road on a clear summers day and the whole view opens up to you, you know you have arrived here at Bournemouth by the sea, the reason so many millions of people come here. Its Bournemouth's shop window to what it has to offer, they don't come here for the Imax or TK MAx, they are here relax and let the sea do it's magic. The more that this view is promoted then more people will come and relax. Put it this way if they put an iMax in the middle of the forest its not going to sell it to me, put an imax in the middle of an industrial estate then yes great you have cheered up a dull place.

HOLD THE PRESSES....BREAKING NEWS (not of the IMAX again)...
It's been snowing in Bournemouth!

golden mouldie wrote:
What a bunch of luddites!!!! How about being pro active instead. As to those who complain about the view - are you so blinkered that you cannot see that there are many miles of roads and footpaths either side of this building to see the view, and if you are coming down past the Royal bath hotel in a car, then your eyes should be on the ROAD not the view.

Try driving along the East overcliff, as you approach the Russell cotes museum the view across the bay is stunning.

Will you people get real?
Do you actually expect to see millions of people standing at the top of Bath Hill staring out to sea watching the rain rolling in from the Purbecks?
"Eee by gum mutha! aint it a grand view! much better than one of t'mill back ome! Im so glad they pulled down the Imax!"
Modern Tourist resorts are you know, actually expected to provide something in return for visitors cash. This "something" is known as facilities and tourist attractions. Sadly for you, a "view" over the pier approach towards Sandbanks from the top of Bath Hill does not quite cut it in this day and age. People want entertainments and recreational facilities. If you want Bournemouth to be anything other than a trashy nightclubby stag and hen weekend destination, then you need to provide both facilities for young families, and entertainment other than a load of night clubs, live music, arts, theatre, Imax, get the picture? You really should get used to the fact that your idea of old gentlemen in bath chairs "taking the view" died out a somewhat long time ago.
There is now the chance for Bournemouth to actually have a state of the art and now viable Imax cinema, and you want to demolish it for a "view" already filled with hundreds of buildings, most probably all far uglier than the Imax and of far less use to the community.
It's 2010 not 1910 you know, wakey wake!!!

collarge wrote:

MisterE wrote:
I assume these 1000 or so people are happy to stump up the necessary cash to pay for the demolition themselves? Or should we expect it to come out of our already extortionate and overstretched council tax?

Perhaps all the car parking charges could go up? Those of us who live in the town centre could have our parking permit costs doubled – we don’t mind! Perhaps the council would be good enough to only collect our bins fortnightly, or never grit the roads in the bad weather? Perhaps they could limit home care visits to just once or twice a week, or shut down a couple of libraries?

Hey, who cares? As long as they demolish the Imax, it'll all be worth it - just think of that 2 second uninterrupted view of the sea, should you actually find yourself in town and driving in the right direction along Bath Road, that is…

It is annoying that we the public had to buy back this giant shed, but single people have paid millions to own one house with a view only for themselves, we as a town have split the cost to get our view back. When you drive down Bath Road on a clear summers day and the whole view opens up to you, you know you have arrived here at Bournemouth by the sea, the reason so many millions of people come here. Its Bournemouth's shop window to what it has to offer, they don't come here for the Imax or TK MAx, they are here relax and let the sea do it's magic. The more that this view is promoted then more people will come and relax. Put it this way if they put an iMax in the middle of the forest its not going to sell it to me, put an imax in the middle of an industrial estate then yes great you have cheered up a dull place.

So you think that tourists are going to drive all the way from wherever they live to Bournemouth, drive down Bath Road & not be able to see the sea for 2 minutes, so turn around and go home without stopping?!

Seriously?

Who gives a **** about the tourist's view anyway?! Why should those of us who live here, and pay taxes here, have to stump up such a colossal amount of cash for this? I'd rather this money was spent of providing quality of life for Bournemouth residents...

jobsworthwatch wrote:

golden mouldie wrote: What a bunch of luddites!!!! How about being pro active instead. As to those who complain about the view - are you so blinkered that you cannot see that there are many miles of roads and footpaths either side of this building to see the view, and if you are coming down past the Royal bath hotel in a car, then your eyes should be on the ROAD not the view.

Try driving along the East overcliff, as you approach the Russell cotes museum the view across the bay is stunning.

Stunning!!! What are you people seeing?You really should get out more or go to specsavers.

jobsworthwatch wrote:

golden mouldie wrote:
What a bunch of luddites!!!! How about being pro active instead. As to those who complain about the view - are you so blinkered that you cannot see that there are many miles of roads and footpaths either side of this building to see the view, and if you are coming down past the Royal bath hotel in a car, then your eyes should be on the ROAD not the view.

Try driving along the East overcliff, as you approach the Russell cotes museum the view across the bay is stunning.

As is the view from the west overcliff, southbourne coast road, canford cliffs and boscombe overcliff roads, and yes, it is a stunning view.
Any person coming here for a holiday can see the view from any of these places. As for mister e, don't know what planet you are on, but i'm pretty sure the majority of people coming to Bournemouth only come here to drive down bath road.

ski wrote:

jobsworthwatch wrote:

golden mouldie wrote: What a bunch of luddites!!!! How about being pro active instead. As to those who complain about the view - are you so blinkered that you cannot see that there are many miles of roads and footpaths either side of this building to see the view, and if you are coming down past the Royal bath hotel in a car, then your eyes should be on the ROAD not the view.

Try driving along the East overcliff, as you approach the Russell cotes museum the view across the bay is stunning.

Stunning!!! What are you people seeing?You really should get out more or go to specsavers.

Certainly stunning compared to west moors!

Xchurch-man wrote:
Will you people get real?
Do you actually expect to see millions of people standing at the top of Bath Hill staring out to sea watching the rain rolling in from the Purbecks?
"Eee by gum mutha! aint it a grand view! much better than one of t'mill back ome! Im so glad they pulled down the Imax!"
Modern Tourist resorts are you know, actually expected to provide something in return for visitors cash. This "something" is known as facilities and tourist attractions. Sadly for you, a "view" over the pier approach towards Sandbanks from the top of Bath Hill does not quite cut it in this day and age. People want entertainments and recreational facilities. If you want Bournemouth to be anything other than a trashy nightclubby stag and hen weekend destination, then you need to provide both facilities for young families, and entertainment other than a load of night clubs, live music, arts, theatre, Imax, get the picture? You really should get used to the fact that your idea of old gentlemen in bath chairs "taking the view" died out a somewhat long time ago.
There is now the chance for Bournemouth to actually have a state of the art and now viable Imax cinema, and you want to demolish it for a "view" already filled with hundreds of buildings, most probably all far uglier than the Imax and of far less use to the community.
It's 2010 not 1910 you know, wakey wake!!!

I know its 2010, but in my 2010 I don't like Castlepoint/imax places, I like great places to visit, eat, relax or spend some money. I only live down the road from the Pier and have lived in the area all my life and I like that space before the Imax dumped itself there.
Bournemouth these days hits the news papers most good summers as the place to go by the sea, the only other time it appears in the national papers is with the title one of the Ugliest building in the country.
If there is anything that is 1910 about that area, is the pier it self and its poor attractions. Bos Vegas got so confused as to what would 2010 attractions should be, it amputated its pier and built a small wave machine. Whether its 1910 or 2010 the attraction is still the sun, sea and sand, the kids no that and the older generation no that the people in the middle seem a bit confused.
I know we should build a duck pond they haven't got one of those by the beach.

Regardless of the view, the building is entirely inappropriate for the location, it looks as if it belongs on an industrial park. Such an attraction would have been better suited to the old winter gardens site.
The building has been controversial from the outset and this controversy would continue without end if the council had not acted. Residents are rightly concerned about the cost of this fiasco and with 5,500 employed at the town hall there has to be scope to meet the cost by reducing the jobsworth head count!

jobsworthwatch wrote:
Regardless of the view, the building is entirely inappropriate for the location, it looks as if it belongs on an industrial park. Such an attraction would have been better suited to the old winter gardens site. The building has been controversial from the outset and this controversy would continue without end if the council had not acted. Residents are rightly concerned about the cost of this fiasco and with 5,500 employed at the town hall there has to be scope to meet the cost by reducing the jobsworth head count!

..make them pay for it!

If anyone out there wants to prevent this kind of idea happening again, then going to this council website maybe the way forward. Its been setup to get people's opinions on what to do next for Bournemouth.
towncentrevision co uk

why not invite Leeds down for a friendly and give the address as the Imax - I'm sure their fans will do the job for free...

jobsworthwatch
You should get out more, and learn to stop talking to yourself!

Pulling down the building just for the view is stupid. Lets face it if you really want the sea to 'work its magic' you park up use your legs and walk to the beach, take a walk along the cliffs. I like the idea of a super aquarium.

Syd Poumen wrote:
jobsworthwatch You should get out more, and learn to stop talking to yourself!

syd poohman, you make 2 negative IQ comments that contrubute nothing.

What a lot of people seem to miss is that this view is iconic (the essence of Bournemouth), it should be the view on postcards, brochures etc., instead it is occupied by the second ugliest building in the country.
-
Why should we care about what visitors to the town think and see. They are the life blood of the town, have a look at a few seaside resorts which have decayed over the last century.
-
It may however not be necessary to completely flatten the building, the worst part is the back the unused IMAX cinema (and no I don't believe for a moment it will reopen) remove that and you get most of the view back. If you also improve the look of the remaining rear end you could have a valuable and useful building to sell back to the private sector.
-
I just wish the council would come forward with more definite proposals for the building, otherwise this may just look like an election stunt.

All these desperate arguments above for trying to keep this monstrosity of an inappropriate building for this location, are simply ignoring the one most important thing. Far far far more of Bournemouth`s residents want to see it gone regardless of cost, so just keep on with your pathetic attempt to go against the over whelming tide of public opinion, your all living in cloud cookoo land and are quite frankly just a laughing stock. I live in modern times and am a very young 43 yr old thanks and was born here and fully appreciate why this building won`t be staying!

Gazz43 wrote:
All these desperate arguments above for trying to keep this monstrosity of an inappropriate building for this location, are simply ignoring the one most important thing. Far far far more of Bournemouth`s residents want to see it gone regardless of cost, so just keep on with your pathetic attempt to go against the over whelming tide of public opinion, your all living in cloud cookoo land and are quite frankly just a laughing stock. I live in modern times and am a very young 43 yr old thanks and was born here and fully appreciate why this building won`t be staying!

Gazz43 - If all those that want to see it be gone, then i'm happy for it to go........... so long as they would like to pay for it, and NOT ME!!
Irrespective of the view or what it looks like, only a loon or a very wealthy person would pay £7.5M for a building that is capable of being fully utilised, only to pull it down and start again. I want my taxes spent better than that.

1000 people who want the price of their properties to increase maybe?! 162,000 more who don't really care as long as its something which is going to benefit the WHOLE of Bournemouth!!

golden mouldie wrote:

Gazz43 wrote: All these desperate arguments above for trying to keep this monstrosity of an inappropriate building for this location, are simply ignoring the one most important thing. Far far far more of Bournemouth`s residents want to see it gone regardless of cost, so just keep on with your pathetic attempt to go against the over whelming tide of public opinion, your all living in cloud cookoo land and are quite frankly just a laughing stock. I live in modern times and am a very young 43 yr old thanks and was born here and fully appreciate why this building won`t be staying!

Gazz43 - If all those that want to see it be gone, then i'm happy for it to go........... so long as they would like to pay for it, and NOT ME!! Irrespective of the view or what it looks like, only a loon or a very wealthy person would pay £7.5M for a building that is capable of being fully utilised, only to pull it down and start again. I want my taxes spent better than that.

Neither did the vast majority of the locals want it built in the first place, and likewise the vast majority will accept that cost of removing it is a price worth paying, if you and all the others that our massively out of touch with public opinion disagree then I guess you must carry on flogging the dead horse of a lost cause you are blindly thinking has merit. Or move out of the area where you won`t have to worry about your money being spent on what the majority want anymore.

jobsworstwash (aka crap)
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me!

Gazz43, can you show me where the 'majority' of Bournemouth rate payers have voted to have the imax pulled down?
FYI - 1000 people on a universally accessed web site doesn't count.

5.13 above... I have reported this childs post,

Facebook groups:
Imax Demolition Party = 1,144 & growing daily

Knock Down The B`Mth Imax building = 2,534

The massive amount of regular news stories over the years since it was built stating how detested the building is, to numourous to mention.

Facebook group:

Save the Imax building = 423

Now anyone worth there salt within the statistical analysis business will know that not everyone will be willing or able to or even bothered to go to the trouble of directly expressing there views on such media as facebook groups etc. However they will equally know using there equations that those that do will be a very good representation of the bigger population. Therefore even if you have had your head buried in the sand as clearly most of you above have and have not listened to any of the news stories since this monstrosity was built. Without being an statistics expert I think the above is quite conclusive, but of course you won`t agree as your not prepared to listen or agree to the much more popular opinion of the local populas!

golden mouldie wrote:
Gazz43, can you show me where the 'majority' of Bournemouth rate payers have voted to have the imax pulled down? FYI - 1000 people on a universally accessed web site doesn't count.

Facebook groups:
Imax Demolition Party = 1,144 & growing daily

Knock Down The B`Mth Imax building = 2,534

The massive amount of regular news stories over the years since it was built stating how detested the building is, to numourous to mention.

Facebook group:

Save the Imax building = 423

Now anyone worth there salt within the statistical analysis business will know that not everyone will be willing or able to or even bothered to go to the trouble of directly expressing there views on such media as facebook groups etc. However they will equally know using there equations that those that do will be a very good representation of the bigger population. Therefore even if you have had your head buried in the sand as clearly most of you above have and have not listened to any of the news stories since this monstrosity was built. Without being an statistics expert I think the above is quite conclusive, but of course you won`t agree as your not prepared to listen or agree to the much more popular opinion of the local populas!

Xchurch-man wrote:
Will you people get real? Do you actually expect to see millions of people standing at the top of Bath Hill staring out to sea watching the rain rolling in from the Purbecks? "Eee by gum mutha! aint it a grand view! much better than one of t'mill back ome! Im so glad they pulled down the Imax!" Modern Tourist resorts are you know, actually expected to provide something in return for visitors cash. This "something" is known as facilities and tourist attractions. Sadly for you, a "view" over the pier approach towards Sandbanks from the top of Bath Hill does not quite cut it in this day and age. People want entertainments and recreational facilities. If you want Bournemouth to be anything other than a trashy nightclubby stag and hen weekend destination, then you need to provide both facilities for young families, and entertainment other than a load of night clubs, live music, arts, theatre, Imax, get the picture? You really should get used to the fact that your idea of old gentlemen in bath chairs "taking the view" died out a somewhat long time ago. There is now the chance for Bournemouth to actually have a state of the art and now viable Imax cinema, and you want to demolish it for a "view" already filled with hundreds of buildings, most probably all far uglier than the Imax and of far less use to the community. It's 2010 not 1910 you know, wakey wake!!!

The reason it closed was because no one went to the Imax. The reason it is still closed is bacause no one would still go, otherwise it would have opened a long time ago.

With regard to those that would like the view I have to ask why is it just the IMAX that is being targeted? The Royal Bath hotel and the Pavillion Theatre both block the view. Could this be that they are not ugly buildings? £7.5m plus demolition costs to reclaim a view that we once had, albeit for 12 years, is far too much to pay especially when you consider that by parking your car and standing on the clifftop that view is still there! As ugly as the building may be it would make more commercial sense to utilise the existing building with demolition as an option only if any new venture fails.

gd58 wrote:
With regard to those that would like the view I have to ask why is it just the IMAX that is being targeted? The Royal Bath hotel and the Pavillion Theatre both block the view. Could this be that they are not ugly buildings? £7.5m plus demolition costs to reclaim a view that we once had, albeit for 12 years, is far too much to pay especially when you consider that by parking your car and standing on the clifftop that view is still there! As ugly as the building may be it would make more commercial sense to utilise the existing building with demolition as an option only if any new venture fails.

aha!! your the guy that built it

You know when an election is round the corner. £7.5m to improve a 'view' is frankly negligent to the people of Bournemouth when areas such as housing, elderly care, and children's care are underfunded.

s-pb2 wrote:
You know when an election is round the corner. £7.5m to improve a 'view' is frankly negligent to the people of Bournemouth when areas such as housing, elderly care, and children's care are underfunded.

The Millions that were spent building it were negligent and shear fact that no locals were consulted was pure arrogance.
My father replaced his garage because the old one was falling apart, he decided to build it a bit bigger this time for storage. But the planning permission was refused because it would cast a shadow on the neighbors side patio. Fare enough we thought as we had not thought of that issue.
This is a case of the man in the street cant get anywhere close to creating a mess like that and yet the council can. This is why it has to come down. And why is it only on the Echo web site do you meet anyone against it going, everyone else you talk to says it has to go. I am sure there are people on here who just want to wind people up.
They would say its a great idea if we had a volcano.

What a bunch of "Cretins "we have in this town of Bournemouth i`m not sure if most of them are on the council or members of this demolition group ,if the Imax is pulled down and they decide as i have heard to build a multiplex cinema where the old bus station used to be they could put the Imax inside the Odeon as it`s big enough if not we will finish up with two more boarded up buildings in Westover Road.As for these nutters who want to pull it down they probably sit in front of the box at home all the time instead of enjoying a night at the cinema .

collarge wrote:

s-pb2 wrote: You know when an election is round the corner. £7.5m to improve a 'view' is frankly negligent to the people of Bournemouth when areas such as housing, elderly care, and children's care are underfunded.

The Millions that were spent building it were negligent and shear fact that no locals were consulted was pure arrogance. My father replaced his garage because the old one was falling apart, he decided to build it a bit bigger this time for storage. But the planning permission was refused because it would cast a shadow on the neighbors side patio. Fare enough we thought as we had not thought of that issue. This is a case of the man in the street cant get anywhere close to creating a mess like that and yet the council can. This is why it has to come down. And why is it only on the Echo web site do you meet anyone against it going, everyone else you talk to says it has to go. I am sure there are people on here who just want to wind people up. They would say its a great idea if we had a volcano.

It just surprises me the council had £7.5m lying around which could be spent on the IMAX. Id rather it be spent on making sure Bournemouth's elderly, disabled, children and poor have a safe and healthy standard of living than spending it on a 'view'

s-pb2 wrote:

collarge wrote:

s-pb2 wrote: You know when an election is round the corner. £7.5m to improve a 'view' is frankly negligent to the people of Bournemouth when areas such as housing, elderly care, and children's care are underfunded.

The Millions that were spent building it were negligent and shear fact that no locals were consulted was pure arrogance. My father replaced his garage because the old one was falling apart, he decided to build it a bit bigger this time for storage. But the planning permission was refused because it would cast a shadow on the neighbors side patio. Fare enough we thought as we had not thought of that issue. This is a case of the man in the street cant get anywhere close to creating a mess like that and yet the council can. This is why it has to come down. And why is it only on the Echo web site do you meet anyone against it going, everyone else you talk to says it has to go. I am sure there are people on here who just want to wind people up. They would say its a great idea if we had a volcano.

It just surprises me the council had £7.5m lying around which could be spent on the IMAX. Id rather it be spent on making sure Bournemouth's elderly, disabled, children and poor have a safe and healthy standard of living than spending it on a 'view'

The money was substantially the receipts of the Terrace Road car park sale, a capital receipts which I believe could not under government rules be used on current spending even if the council wanted to. This money was earmarked for the replacement of the Winter Gardens a project which was scrapped when the Conservatives gained control. I will not claim to know what the people of Bournemouth want, but if you did conduct a survey maybe knocking down the IMAX would rate as a better use of the money than another concert hall.

The real problem is that "knocking down the Imax", although probably popular with a lot of Bournemouth residents and visitors, is a pretty negative and (excuse the pun) destructive thing to do. Once you've knocked it down, then what? I'd have a lot more respect for the council if they came up with a comprehensive plan to renovate it, reconstruct it, whatever, but along with definite plans for what they propose is to take its place. Until then, this is a half-witted scheme that just smacks of electioneering.

(Word to enter: "that-film". Appropriate or what?)

DOES ANYONE KNOW THE NAMES OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO TOOK A BRIBE TO ALLOW THIS MONSTROSITY OF A BUILDING TO BE BUILT..?..ANYONE...!
!.. THEY WANT HANGING FOR TREASON, ALONGSIDE TONY BLAIR

Bournemouthstorm wrote:

Xchurch-man wrote: Will you people get real? Do you actually expect to see millions of people standing at the top of Bath Hill staring out to sea watching the rain rolling in from the Purbecks? "Eee by gum mutha! aint it a grand view! much better than one of t'mill back ome! Im so glad they pulled down the Imax!" Modern Tourist resorts are you know, actually expected to provide something in return for visitors cash. This "something" is known as facilities and tourist attractions. Sadly for you, a "view" over the pier approach towards Sandbanks from the top of Bath Hill does not quite cut it in this day and age. People want entertainments and recreational facilities. If you want Bournemouth to be anything other than a trashy nightclubby stag and hen weekend destination, then you need to provide both facilities for young families, and entertainment other than a load of night clubs, live music, arts, theatre, Imax, get the picture? You really should get used to the fact that your idea of old gentlemen in bath chairs "taking the view" died out a somewhat long time ago. There is now the chance for Bournemouth to actually have a state of the art and now viable Imax cinema, and you want to demolish it for a "view" already filled with hundreds of buildings, most probably all far uglier than the Imax and of far less use to the community. It's 2010 not 1910 you know, wakey wake!!!

The reason it closed was because no one went to the Imax. The reason it is still closed is bacause no one would still go, otherwise it would have opened a long time ago.

At the time it was opened there were only about a dozen or so films made in Imax format. No new releases used it.
This is no longer true. all the new Hollywood blockbusters use it. The format has now come of age and film makers will use it.
Incidentally how many of you have actually seen a film in an Imax cinema?
I have and believe me you would never want to watch a film in an "old fashioned" cinema if the same film could be seen on an Imax screen.

Show off!!!

Xchurch-man is quite right. IMAX is a great cinematic format. It was just way ahead of its time, and it's really unfortunate that such a futuristic innovative facility should have its name and reputation slagged off in Bournemouth because of an unattractive, ill-thought out building.

It occurred to me that if Bournemouth does need a second theatre that the activities could be transferred from the pier theatre to a refurbished 'Imax' and the pier could be turned into a permanent ice rink.

The Council thought it out and approved it in the first place!!!